As we enter a new financial year, our core objective remains the same: through our committee process we work hard to build consensus and amplify contributions from our experts, making Australian life better as a result.

To maximise our impact we are beginning the year with a new 2018-19 Action Plan. A priority outlined in this plan is our governance. This has been a central focus of ours since the Technical Governance Review (TGR) kicked off 12 months ago.

Over this time we have worked closely with our members, contributors, staff, governments and independent governance experts to understand what a better Standards Australia could look like.

The TGR final report (PDF), shaped by many months of consultation, answered this question for us: a better Standards Australia is more strategic, more open and more proactive. Our response (PDF) to this report presented our approach with a number of well-defined and achievable outcomes.

As a significant next step, I am pleased to see the publication of our TGR Implementation Plan (PDF) outlining the changes to come this financial year. The elements identified in the plan include prioritisation, committee composition, drafting development and public comment.

With our initiatives mapped out across the financial year, we are well positioned to make a difference in the next 12 months. However, this is just the beginning. Further programs of work will be developed and integrated into an Implementation Plan for 2020.

Ultimately, the change being implemented today will impact the future of standards and how people and organisations engage with us.

The right change is only possible if those that it impacts most are a part of the process. I have been pleased to see such active participation and interest from our members and contributor community to date, and look forward to this collaboration continuing.

—Dr Bronwyn Evans, CEO

Chris has been CEO of Australian Reinsurance Pool Corporation (ARPC) since December 2013. ARPC is a Public Financial Corporation providing reinsurance for commercial property and business interruption losses arising from declared terrorist incidents. He has led organisations in general insurance, workers compensation, health insurance, and reinsurance. He has worked extensively in insurance underwriting and claims management roles within insurers, and as a consultant to the insurance industry.

Standards Australia: ARPC is working with Standards Australia on the development of a handbook, HB 188, Physical Protective Security Treatment for Buildings. What is the intention behind the handbook?
Dr Christopher Wallace: The handbook is being developed to support the proactive risk management of commercial buildings. It will assist property owners and operators to assess their risks and implement measures to protect against terror attacks and other malicious acts. By referencing existing national and international standards, Federal Government advice and industry expertise, the handbook will facilitate improved risk assessment, prevention and treatment methods for physical security risks to businesses. ARPC’s vision for this project is to provide a unique resource for cross-industry implementation, and this is paralleled by Standards Australia’s vision of partnering to produce prototypes for intuitive application.

SA: HB 188 is a pilot project being tested by the Incubator. Tell us about the unique way the handbook will be developed.  
CW: Rather than committee members receiving individual invitations to participate through their nominating organisations, expert contributors will be crowd-sourced. Drafting will also take place online, using a web collaboration tool. The intention is to simplify and streamline the process for both participation and development. This way, the results will reflect expertise and experience from a broader range of industries and contributors.

SA: Who should get involved?
CW: A diverse range of experts are encouraged to register their interest. We see the future of risk mitigation focusing heavily on both prevention and resilience, and with ‘smart’ standards on the horizon, the moment to get involved is now. This project presents an opportunity for contribution from a broader range of Australian industries such as building, security, insurance, commercial property, facilities management, events management, local government, fire services and national security. Experts with specialised or diverse experience would add significant value, and we urge you all to get on board.

SA: What do you think is in the future of standardisation?
CW: Standards will continue to provide guidance and solutions to help people solve risk problems. Standards aid the consistent application of governance processes, and in this project the processes are to help businesses to understand and implement best practice. We hope HB 188 will make information on risk treatment in this area of risk accessible to a broad range of businesses. We also hope that the development methods tested by the Incubator will identify more streamlined ways of creating standards in the future.

Round 17 of Standards Australia's Project Prioritisation will open on Wednesday 1 August 2018, with applications accepted until 5pm Friday 31 August 2018.

Detailed information can be found on the Submitting a Proposal page on our website.

All projects are selected based on four key criteria:

1. Net benefit case
2. Well-defined scope of work
3. Stakeholder consultation and support
4. The availability of Standards Australia resources

Should you, your nominating organisation or committee be considering submitting a project proposal, we encourage you to contact a Stakeholder Engagement Manager as soon as possible. Your early communication will enable the Standards Australia team to provide any required assistance in advance of submission deadlines.

We are currently investigating how we can streamline the proposal process to make it faster and easier. Talk with your Stakeholder Engagement Manager about how the future of proposals might be changing.

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AS/NZS 3500:2018, Plumbing and drainage, Parts 1 – 4, were recently published following extensive work by industry, technical experts, regulators, and consumers to address the needs of the community. These documents guide how plumbers across Australia install the taps, showers, bathtubs, hot water systems, and the drainage systems we use on a daily basis.

Learn more on our website.

Through the Incubator, Standards Australia is creating a new handbook HB 188, Physical Protective Security Treatment for Buildings, and we are looking for a diverse range of experts to get involved.

The experts drafting the handbook will be crowd-sourced, as opposed to the usual participation process through nominating organisations. In addition, the handbook will be developed using an online collaboration tool.

Learn more about getting involved on our website.

Every day, an Australian turns on the tap without a thought on whether the water is safe to drink. The products which impact the quality of this water are the focus of a revised standard, AS/NZS 4020:2018, Testing of products for use in contact with drinking water.

Learn more on our website.

Following extensive stakeholder consultation, Australia will begin the adoption process for the International Standard ISO 45001, Occupational health and safety management systems – Requirements with guidance for use.

Learn more on our website.

A visit to the Cochlear headquarters demonstrates the impact of standards, the pace of technology, and the life-changing results associated with medical devices.

Read the full article on our blog.

These popular workshops will be held again this September in Adelaide, Perth, Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Click here for available dates.

The workshop covers the principles of writing clear, performance-based standards, with exercises in-class to delve further into some of the finer points of drafting. Become a more confident contributor to your committee’s projects. Register your attendance today in the Standards Australia Academy.

Standards Australia represents Australia on the two major international standards development bodies, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Our activities are reported on our International Updates page.

Highlights from July (PDF):

• A New Field of Technical Activity – Sustainable Finance
• Stronger cities for the future: a new set of International Standards released
• Smart grids to tackle energy challenges

Access the latest standards development news in your industry sector via our Sectors page.

The public comment process provides an opportunity for stakeholders and members of the public to make valuable contributions. View draft standards currently open for comment.

Australia and New Zealand are closer to developing a joint standard for forest management following a joint meeting between the boards of Responsible Wood and the New Zealand Forest certification Association (NZFCA) in Wellington.

Responsible Wood and the NZFCA operate PEFC-endorsed sustainable forest management systems in Australia and New Zealand respectively.

A significant outcome of the meeting between Responsible Wood and the New Zealand Forest Certification Association will be the development going forward of a joint Australia-New Zealand standard for Sustainable Forest Management, AS/NZS 4708.

“We are confident of getting the right structures in place for the development of a joint standard recognised in both countries,” Responsible Wood CEO Simon Dorries said.

The New Zealand Forest Certification Association is primarily concerned with forest-related certification activities and is the governing body in New Zealand for the global forest certification scheme PEFC.

Wood Processors and Manufacturers Association of NZ CEO Dr Jon Tanner said after the meeting his board was looking forward to developing the joint standard, which had been given the green light by Standards New Zealand.

“The process will probably kick off at the end of the year,” he said.

The New Zealand forest and wood products sector relies heavily on exports with around 70% of production going offshore. Increasingly, the main markets, particularly Australia, North America and Asia, are demanding third-party certification as proof of legality of harvest and quality of forest management.  Most of the countries New Zealand exports to are now PEFC members and recognise PEFC certification as meeting their import requirements.